Effect of Drip Fertigation on Nutrient Uptake, Water Use Efficiency and Economics in Groundnut (Arachis Hypogaea L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during kharif 2012 to study the effect of fertigation with different sources and levels of fertilizers on nutrient removal, water use efficiency (WUE) and economics in groundnut at Zonal Agricultural Research Station, University Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru. It was observed that significantly higher nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium uptake (116. 9, 24. 5 and 48. 1 kg ha-1 , respectively) at harvest in plant with ip fertigation of 100% recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) as water soluble fertilizers (WSF) followed by ip fertigation of 75% RDF as WSF. Similarly higher WUE was noticed in ip fertigation of 100% RDF as WSF (69. 08 kg/ha -cm) as compared to surface and ip irrigation at 100% RDF through NF (25. 36 and 49. 76 kg/ha-cm, respectively). However, due to high cost of WSF, ip fertigation of 100% RDF through normal fertilizers (NF) recorded the highest net returns (Rs. 67,970 ha-1 ) and B-C ratio (2. 54).